It's the most wonderful time of the year!

This is my favorite time of year! I love the Christmas season! Bear says that I'm like Will Ferrell in ELF, "Santa's Coming!!!!!!!" I get excited the evening of Thanksgiving because WDAS starts playing Christmas carols. My heart feels good singing about and celebrating about the most amazing gift I've ever received...the birth of Christ.

This is the time of year when people seem to understand what it means to celebrate the birth of Christ by being Christ-like. It is the time of year when all Christians give of themselves. People give time to others by spending time with the elderly, sick, and shut in. They sing carols or read stories or just talk about the goodness in the air. People give their talents by performing, creating, crafting, baking, and cooking. People give their energy to plan, coordinate, support, supervise, execute programs, dinners, luncheons, breakfasts, performances and parties. People give their money to help those who are less fortunate than they are. They adopt families and provide them with gifts - a mixture of items they need and want. They adopt children at schools to ensure that they wake with a smile on Christmas morning when they see presents under the tree, and get just what they wanted. People give way...their spirit is more compromising and open, eliminating the negative.

This is a time when the innocence, hope and wonder of children is transferred to adults also. It is a time of belief. Children are told the story of Santa. They hear about him and his magical powers. They never see him, but see evidence of him. They aren't sure how he completes his task, but they believe. Those children are like adults believing in Christ. They hear about him and his magical powers. They don't see Him, but see evidence of him daily. They aren't sure how He continues to bless us in so many ways, but they believe. That's belief is the celebration of the birth and life of Christ. I love sharing my belief in Christ and the celebration of His guidance, sacrifice and good as a collective whole during this season.

I participate in the spiritual celebration of the birth of Christ during this time. I also participate in putting lights and candles on the outside of houses to signify that we believe in Jesus, the Light of the World. Think about that as you drive around to look at home designs. What a wonderful energy to know that those people are believers. I participate in putting up and decorating an evergreen because God is never changing...He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I participate in giving gifts because God gave us the ultimate present...Christ.

I participate in singing Handel's Messiah while putting up the Christmas tree (because my daddy started that tradition). I participate in keeping the gifts for Princess, Juicy Boy (his first!!!), Bear, my family and friends a secret. I participate in getting excited when I think I've found the perfect gift. I participate in staying up late on Christmas Eve with Bear putting together those special gifts with lots of decals, strong wire (Barbie will never slip out of her box!), and tons of tape so they will be waiting when the kids wake in the morning. I participate in making butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and now gingerbread cookies with Princess and NeeNee (because NeeNee did that with Uncle Brownie and I and it the memories just feel right). I participate in spending time visiting friends and family to share in a communal Spirit of Love and Light. I participate in sending and receiving Christmas cards to say I'm thinking of you and to wish that the blessings of the season continue through the next year. I participate in watching the Christmas cartoons (I'm Mr. Heatmiser, I'm Mr. Sun...) with Princess and remembering watching it with Buddah and NeeNee. I participate in cooking a good meal for Christmas day. I participate in dancing with my mom and aunt and singing from out serving spoons in the kitchen...All these things and more....That's what Christmas means to me!